SEPT. 18 - BEAUTIFUL HIETZING

After the stress of the previous day, we had a good sleep, and were feeling very blessed to wake up safe (and with keys in tact) in such a lovely apartment with the Viennese breeze blowing in the balcony door.  Vienna holds many memories for us both, but even more so for Ron. 

Kitchen is not practical!

 

Living area with floor to ceiling windows on front wall

Wonderful Bathroom - BEST shower of trip. 
Even a door to keep water off the floor!

Hietzing is in the 13th District, one of the most affluent areas of Vienna, and includes the Schoenbrunn Palace and vast gardens. It is on the western edge of the city near the hills of the Vienna Woods. Our landlord calls it a "noble neighborhood". The statistics fit that description with a 700 sq. ft. 1930 house nearby priced at 5.5 million Euro. There are beautiful villas and townhomes from the 18th and 19th centuries when the affluent built their summer homes near Schoenbrunn Palace. Klimt had a villa just a few blocks down our street (Lainzerstrasse). I had planned to visit his studio, but read reviews that there were too many replicas, and it wasn't worth the 10-EU fee.

Ron walked up to the Spar grocery to get a baguette and other breakfast items. When he got back, we had a bite to eat and figured out the app for Vienna transport. It is so complete - it makes the old days of public transport seem so archaic. We were able to buy e-tickets on line, and if challenged by an inspector, you just show your phone screen. 

We walked up the block. Lainzerstrasse is a narrow two-lane street with fast-moving trams in both directions. We passed Zum Fass, a place we have visited in Garmish and elsewhere, that sells oils and vinegars, deli items, spirits and wines, which you can have poured into your own dispensers. They also sell attractive bottles and containers.

I was so excited to see well-known Viennese restaurants I had read about. There is Plachutta, world-famous primarily for tafelspitz (boiled beef - ugh). Tafelspitz is considered a Vienna specialty, and its preparation is subject to strict rules.  Then there was Trzesniewski, which features an enormous selection of finger sandwiches. We had previously visited their central Vienna location, and didn't care for the sandwiches.  I was especially interested that the Cafe Dommayer (Oberlaa) was so near to us. It is one of the city's most classic, up-market cafes, and Strauss debuted there in 1844.

We went in and Ron wanted to order obstkuchen from the beautiful counter, but the girl behind the counter gave him a long explanation of why this couldn't be. She only sold goods to take away. You had to order at a table to eat on premises. 

We walked through the cafe and hallway to find a lovely garden in back. 

Kaiserschmarrn

Ron had cream of mushroom soup and I tried Kaiser- schmarrm (made with shredded pancake dough, sugar, raisins, and served with a plum compote).  Much of this was shared with Ron!

It was another warm day, and I was glad to have my one short-sleeve shirt (purchased in Bad Aibling).

We walked further, passing Marios, the Blue Marlin and the Schloss Cafe which we had passed by driving in, and both were well lit and welcoming at night. We also spied Jin, Ramen & Dumplings, which is on my "go-to list". It was crowded and looked like a fun place

We took the tram to the Westbahnhof, and stood around (or sat on walker) for about 10-minutes, trying to decide where to go and what to do. Ron didn't think I should attempt the subway (U3/U4), which would have taken us to another connection. Adjacent to the bahnhof was an IKEA, and I was able to get on their Internet. The longest shopping street in Vienna, Mariahilferstrasse goes through this neighborhood, the 6th District. It's considered a "happening place", multi-cultural with "affordable" housing and lots of galleries, shops, and restaurants. 

We decided to take the tram back, and not push on. The difference 10-years makes in what we are willing (or able) to tackle.

When we came back, Ron went into the Park Hotel to get a Vienna map. We had planned to stop at their Schloss Cafe, but decided against. It wasn't that salubrious to sit on the terrace, as there was a "street musician" opposite making noise playing lots of recorded music. We also thought it would be very pricy. The Schloss Cafe is now part of the Park Hotel, where we used to love their delicious scampi for lunch. We first visited in 1974. We kept going over the years, and after a long absence when we went on our last Vienna stay, the hotel had been taken over by a chain, and we didn't care for it. It is now part of the Austria Trend Group.

So, we walked on to Marios, another restaurant we had noticed that morning that had a nice terrace. The restaurant is sleek and modern and offers a very expensive Mediterranean menu. Later read that it is owned by the same people who have Plachutta.  I  had 1/8 Grunerveltiner (which is about a swallow) and Ron had a small beer, and the bill was $13. We didn't like the lack of service and "attitude". 

We walked home from there, and went to our little courtyard balcony.

Happy to be "Home"